Determining Thermal Characteristics of Instruction Sets

1. A method of determining thermal characteristics of instruction sets, the instruction sets comprising one or more computer program instructions executed by a computer processor, the method comprising: tracking, in a performance counter, a number of classes of instructions run during execution of a plurality of instruction sets; identifying, for each instruction set, from the performance counter, a number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set; and ranking the instruction sets in dependence upon the number of each class of instructions run during execution of each instruction set and a profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instruction, further comprising calculating for each instruction set a thermal characteristic score, including: determining, for each class of instructions run during the execution of the instruction set, a ratio of the number of the class of instructions run to a total number of instructions run during the execution of the instruction set; multiplying each ratio by a weight associated with each class of instructions, thereby providing products for each class of instructions for the instruction set; summing each of the products for each class of instructions for the instruction set; and ranking the instruction sets in dependence upon the calculated thermal characteristic scores of the instructions sets.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying, for each instruction set, from the performance counter, a number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set further comprises: identifying, for each instruction set, values of the performance counter upon initiating execution of the instruction set; identifying values of the performance counter upon completion of executing the instruction set; and determining the number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set in dependence upon a change in the values of the performance counter from initiating execution of the instruction set to completion of executing the instruction set.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein tracking, in a performance counter, a number of classes of instructions run during execution of a plurality of instruction sets further comprises: incrementing, for each instruction of an instruction class run during execution of the plurality of instruction sets, a value of the performance counter associated with the instruction class.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: establishing the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions including providing by a manufacturer of the computer processor the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: establishing the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions including determining through testing the thermal characteristics of a plurality of classes of instructions.

6. An apparatus for determining thermal characteristics of instruction sets, the instruction sets comprising one or more computer program instructions executed by a computer processor, the apparatus comprising the computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of: tracking, in a performance counter, a number of classes of instructions run during execution of a plurality of instruction sets; identifying, for each instruction set, from the performance counter, a number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set; and ranking the instruction sets in dependence upon the number of each class of instructions run during execution of each instruction set and a profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions, further comprising calculating for each instruction set a thermal characteristic score, including: determining, for each class of instructions run during the execution of the instruction set, a ratio of the number of the class of instructions run to a total number of instructions run during the execution of the instruction set; multiplying each ratio by a weight associated with each class of instructions, thereby providing products for each class of instructions for the instruction set; summing each of the products for each class of instructions for the instruction set; and ranking the instruction sets in dependence upon the calculated thermal characteristic scores of the instructions sets.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein identifying, for each instruction set, from the performance counter, a number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set further comprises: identifying, for each instruction set, values of the performance counter upon initiating execution of the instruction set; identifying values of the performance counter upon completion of executing the instruction set; and determining the number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set in dependence upon a change in the values of the performance counter from initiating execution of the instruction set to completion of executing the instruction set.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein tracking, in a performance counter, a number of classes of instructions run during execution of a plurality of instruction sets further comprises: incrementing, for each instruction of an instruction class run during execution of the plurality of instruction sets, a value of the performance counter associated with the instruction class.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions capable of: establishing the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions including providing by a manufacturer of the computer processor the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions capable of: establishing the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions including determining through testing the thermal characteristics of a plurality of classes of instructions.

11. A computer program product for determining thermal characteristics of instruction sets, the instruction sets comprising one or more computer program instructions executed by a computer processor, the computer program product comprising: a recordable computer readable storage medium that includes computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to carry out the steps of: tracking, in a performance counter, a number of classes of instructions run during execution of a plurality of instruction sets; identifying, for each instruction set, from the performance counter, a number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set; and ranking the instruction sets in dependence upon the number of each class of instructions run during execution of each instruction set and a profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions, further comprising calculating for each instruction set a thermal characteristic score, including: determining, for each class of instructions run during the execution of the instruction set, a ratio of the number of the class of instructions run to a total number of instructions run during the execution of the instruction set; multiplying each ratio by a weight associated with each class of instructions, thereby providing products for each class of instructions for the instruction set; summing each of the products for each class of instructions for the instruction set; and ranking the instruction sets in dependence upon the calculated thermal characteristic scores of the instructions sets.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein identifying, for each instruction set, from the performance counter, a number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set further comprises: identifying, for each instruction set, values of the performance counter upon initiating execution of the instruction set; identifying values of the performance counter upon completion of executing the instruction set; and determining the number of each class of instructions run during execution of the instruction set in dependence upon a change in the values of the performance counter from initiating execution of the instruction set to completion of executing the instruction set.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein tracking, in a performance counter, a number of classes of instructions run during execution of a plurality of instruction sets further comprises: incrementing, for each instruction of an instruction class run during execution of the plurality of instruction sets, a value of the performance counter associated with the instruction class.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the recordable computer readable storage medium further includes computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to carry out the step of: establishing the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions including providing by a manufacturer of the computer processor the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the recordable computer readable storage medium further includes computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer processor to carry out the step of: establishing the profile of thermal characteristics of classes of instructions including determining through testing the thermal characteristics of a plurality of classes of instructions.